Court orders IGP, 2 others to pay N10m compensation over Kuku’s home invasion

A Federal High Court sitting in Akure,  Ondo state capital, on Thursday, awarded N10m damages against the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and two others for unlawful invasion into the residence of the former Special Adviser to Ex-wife President Goodluck Jonathan Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Kingsley Kuku.

Justice Folashade Olubanjo who awarded the cost said the Police breached the fundamental rights of Kuku by invading his home and destroying his properties, saying the applicant was unjustly humiliated.

Justice Olubanjo said the defence of the police was not acceptable to the Court and therefore the respondents should jointly pay the sum of N10m as damage to the applicant.

Kuku, through his Counsel,  Atima. K. A  and Co. had dragged the IGP and his men before the court over the invasion, praying the Court to declare the action of the action of the police,  illegal, oppressive and unconstitutional

Representing Kuku at the Court, Egbekun Ebieritei, in a suit No FHC /AK/CS /61/18 had argued that the invasion of the police at the country home residence of Kuku was illegal

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According to him, the Constitution of the country provides for arrest by the Police, upon suspicion of anybody who committed a crime and such person must be charged to court within a reasonable period.

The Judge, however, ruled that the applicant was unjustly humiliated with the invasion of police to his residence and awarded N10m as damage against IGP and two others.

It will be recalled that policemen from the Force headquarters in Abuja invaded the Arogbo Ijaw community in the Ese Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State breaking into the private residence of Kuku, shooting sporadically into the air to scare away the people of the community.

The policemen were alleged to have forcefully broken into the house,  searching every room in the house.